Signaling device for motor vehicles



July 21; 1925. 1,546,643

` J. A. Fox

SIGNALING DEVICE FOR MOTOR VEHICLES Filed Dec. 22, 1922 v ,July 2l',v 1925.

zen'of thejUnifed-Statearesidin at Warf- Jungs or WARREN, omo. smnaamqgsvxonron Moron v mncms application alec' regente? aa,- xaaa sena: m. escamas.A

' To all #my concern.'

"1 Be it kno that I, JAIssA. Fox, a citi-` ren, in the'cbuntyiof Trumbull an State of -Ohio, have invented 'certain new and useful" Improveinnts in Si sling. Devices .for

speciicatigp.4 j

j This invex'itionsrelates'tb signaling devices, particularly electric lightl signals, and while primarily designed for use in connection l with motor yehicles it'will be. .'0 bvious that thedevice canbeemplcyedforan purposes wherein it i'sffoundto be applicab e.

zo g 'the' d verrelative to'intended o rations ormovements M liis vehicle, there L confusionl andlminimizing acci narily Otherobjects of The primaryebiwei the inventioj is .a @provide a signalinggdevice-of such class, a manner ,as hereinafter set fort jwhioh is operable, from'the tirivesseat,` l"indicate to the operator.of anapproaching, passi' or following vehicle the exact. intentions o l avoiding ents ordlconcurrent with the operation of motor vehicles; Y

' vide. a signalt device-of the character' described, which .emhodies. manifold signals;

" mounting' of the which is readily` discernible duringadaylight and ially at night, and'whichincludes a- 4shhsble casin allowingl the ,roper evice` 1 anyl ang e; and

without interference with the wire-connecfFu'rther objects of theinventio'n are to' -providea signal apparatus of type stated, which -will simultaneously indicate the-same signals en both its front andirear ma', which is simple in ia construction and 40 arrangement, strong, durable and eilcient in its use, attractive'v 1n', appsarance, and 0011?!` parativel inexpensive tomam'lfacturel With vt eiforofgf' g and otherl objects view, which Awill appear as the description details of construction hereinafter described and; claimed, it being," understood that vchan sin the precise embodiment of lt l135,j;in

vention herein disclosed can be made withinth ,scope of the.'claimshereunto appendedwi hout departing from-theprinciple of. the@` Y to each father, and theouter ends of specification an 'wherein like numerals of'- Motor lVehiclea--of whh the .following is a l'forward endf the signal device illlisttiil l l ywith a perforated index hand 6,positioned'f; this mvcntlon are ilo-pro` rear plate'1,lwith theexception'that all desi,

'reference designate corresponding v 1 re is a rear view of a siA ali f vicoli-)di accordance with this invegtiongge) Figure V2 is a similar view with the lens andtherear 'stencilled si'gn platele-M moved therefrom. Y Figure 3 is a-'side view ofthe device 'portions thereof shown in 'croes sections g' Figure 4 is a front view of-thale'ns y.the

itsengagement by the annular metalban .1 Figure 5 is a similar view ofthe-lens in' the rear end of the device. f.

igure 6 is a fragmentary sectional'view` 19 of the annular clampingband showin the englagement of the associated parts t ere-v Referring in detail to' the 1denotes the rear slgnaleplate, "cireular'mconeftour, and stencilled or perforated tofo1"m directly above the designation' 2 to indicate .the direction towards the right, andwitli a erforated index hand 7, positioned directl elowA the designation 5, to indicate the' d1- rection towardsthe'le BQy I front signal plate 8-isidentical in construction and in the a'rran vment of des-' ignations as that described :elfi/tively to the gnatlons on front plate 8 are disposed in 4the reverse directionwth respect to the designations carried by the rear late 1.. The reasony for this is obvious, -as t e rear si "all plate 1 is adapted to be read from azposltioi 1n rear of thedevice, and the front si 95 p late 8 from aposition in front -of the de` f vice. 1 v

The rear signal platel and the frntsigf nal plate 8- are fixedly securedtgeth'er 1n proceeds, the invention resides in the combi- 'L' spaced relation withl respect to each other 1.00 nationand arrangement of parts and in therby ,therewith lntermediatejof their ends:l vThe partitions 9 and 10 extend parallel with reeachV is formed with a centrally disposed re .9'. for the PWPOS@ i0 f no When the rear and'front si'gnalfplates 1 and 8 are assembled with the partitions 9,19

and/11, they provide incombiiiationffour se L into ,reach oithe oom artments 12,123,1/1

. airing. arleiisylis positioned against thel color; and "the iront lc'iis17fgis`ppsitioned einst' the outer face oftheffiont signal @plate Sand is greenjiii co1or.. lhe lenses 16 v17 are of the same diameter as the diamileter ofthe plates-land 8 against which they are placed.`

An annular clamping band 1'8 is provided for securing the lenses 16 and 17 to respec-v tive plates 1 and 8. lThe longitudinal edges of the band 18 are formed to provide narrow inwardly disposed`flanges 19 which overlap the' peripheries of the yiespective'lensesv 16 and `17 and secure them in position'against ,the plates 1 and 8. The 'ends'of the band 18 'are secured together'wi'th the common tongue and slot connection, as indicated at 20, to

rmit of its assembly to provide a clamping. action44 The band 18I is further provided with a circumferentially extending: groove 21l posivvtioned centrally of the ban'd 1'8. The rib formed on the inner .face ofthe band 18 by the formation of the groove 21 engages in the recesses 9 provided in lthe'ou'ter ends of Vthe horizontal partitions 9 and 10Aaiid pre'-` 'vents lateral movement of 'the-,band '18 whenk .positioned on the platesfl'and 8. aper-` ture 22 is vprovided inthe baii'd;'18 for the ge of wiring vconnections 23,1 eadi-ii'gfurthe lamps 15 told-ie 'source of electrical Supply. 1W., .figg l.

The plates 1 and 8 vfixed-to the partitions 9, '10 and 11, which latter'. carry the lamps 15 together with the lenses 1'6ja'nd 17, are lassembled as a -body portion by .means of the band y18, and is housed asJ al whole iii' a 'suitable'l annular casing 24. Tli'einiierl face .of the casin 24 carries a plurality lof cir# cumferential y disposed fixed springsf25 ariranged infpairs Vequallyspaced from'each other. Eafch spring-'of a p'airof spriii s ex#- '.tends in parallel with respect-to the ot 'er of respective edge ofthe band`18. .A

z When the 'casing 24.is positioned to house 'the assembled body portion above described, the springs carried the "former, Awill --engage the` periphery of theband 18 on both sides of the band-'groove 21, and -pljovd a! 27 forthe uter'ffcejoffthesignal plate, 1 and isred pendently'iashl one Avhe pair'and each is mounted adjacent to a ld ble to the' ope' 8. fol

subjected during :the travel of theA vehicle to which it is attached.

An attachment bracket 26 is riveted the periphery of thecasing 24 and is provided "for securing the signaling device to the ve- 'I0 hic'le toV suitablyposition same so that the f' t signals .may be distinctlyfseen by the oper- 'ators of approaching or following vehicles.

The bracket 26 is provided with an aperture passage of the wiring connections 76 23 therethrough. The casing 24 due to its resilientconnecl tion with the band 18 may be slidably shiftY edv on the latter to position the bracket 26 to accommodateitfattachine'nt to ltlie vehicle 80 toebest meetl conditions desired. The frictionof the springs 25 ,agains t the band 18y willmaintain the casing Min the adjusted position. i y I Ample slack in the wiring-ecfgiiinectionsI 23 85 is. allowed to permit of thesliifting of the casing 24, a's above described. During theV shifting of the casing 24, the'wiri'ng 23 is positionedin the groove gifwhich latter iii-- fords clearance to preventiinding interfer lil tion Vof the s rings 25 against the b and. 18` during the's ifting operation. l

It will here be noted thatwhile the lenses 16 and 17, as herein described, are ,preferabl and respectively red and green in color, 95 ad itional individual colored lenses may b'e positioned iii the compartments on the inner faces of the plates 1 and 8 to show the signals on the latter in "various desired colors.y

In this latter construction, however,- the 100- lenses 16 and 17 would notbecolored.

An annularrirnBS, substantially L-.shaped in cross section is `mounted to overlap each of the casing 24 Vand the dependingA einiges 19er the baa is. The 'rim es is sie-1.105

cured in position by means of the screwsv' 2 9. Besides effecting a finished and attractiveappearance to theY device the rim 28 will prevent thelaterat'movenientof the casing l.

-24 upon the clamping band 18.

Any suitable signal operating 'switches/l may b e employed in connection- -with my im! proved signaling device. They shouldyliowever, bevpositioned to permit of their convenient manipulation-by the operator from 5 -v vthe drivers seat.

A signaling device if/@yimprovedcen-A struction is intendedobe op ated toiidffs f.

Orsevera hessn eSignal-,ions 2,: ttanda aten designations; psfoma therein-,fthe signl will be projected therethrough fanddiscernir-f:d

lowingrve'liicle. s

1f signaling apparatusjor" inotor v felii -f cles 'comprising' `in' combination, agfroiit' late provided `vvitlilafp1uralitf ofi' signal y esigiiationsa rear plate provided with a '15 forming a plurality of compartments, an

illuminating device mounted in'eac'h of said compartments, a lens positioned against each .of said plat, an annular clamping Iband having its edges formed to provide llanges adapted to overlap the peri heral edges of said plates for securing sai lenses to said plates, said band formed with a 'nentrally disposed annular groove, 'an annular casing carrying a plurality 'of fiat spring on its inner face resiliently engaging s'aid and, an attachment bracket fixedly mounted on said casing, said casing circumferentially shiftable on said band to permit o f the adjustment of said attachment bracket relatively to said band, a rim overlapping each of the.

marginal edges of said casing, said illumi-` natlng devices including wire conductors.

adapted to engage in said annular groove to provide clearance when said casing is cir.- cumferentially shifted in said groove, substantially' as described and for the purpose' set forth. c

2. In combination, a signaling device for motor vehicles, comprising a front plate provided with a plurality of perforated signal desi nations, a rear plate provided 'with a .plura ity of perforated signal designa,- vtinus corresponding to the said signal desig- ,l nation provided on said front plate, parti!` Sltjions including a pair of horizontally dis- "poedfpartitions and a vertically disposed partition fixcdly connected with and securing said iront and rear plates in spaced relation with respect to eaclr other and forming a plurality'of compartments each of said compartments common to a front plate s 1g. nal vdesignation and to. the correspondin rear plate signal designation, the outer en of said pair of horizontally disposed partltions formed with centrally disposed recesses, a lens positioned against the outer face of each of said plates, an annular clamping band ixedly mounted on the peripheral edges of said plates and 'said lenses and engaging the said recesses formed inthe ends of said pair of horizontally disposed partitions, said 'lband having' its edges formed to provide iianges overlapping 'the peripheral marginal edges of said lenses `for securing the latter against said'plates, the outer face of said band formed with a circumferentially extending groove, an 'annular 'casing surrounding said hand and provided with a plurality of springs on its. inner face engaging said band for resiliently supporting said band in said casing, a pair of rims carried by the marginal edges of said casing for maintaining the latter in position on said band, an attachment bracket 'fixed to Y the periphery of said casing, said casing circumferentially shiftable. on said band-for adjusting said bracket relatively to saidand, a lamp mounted in each of said oompartments, and electrical conductors connected with said lamps andpositioned in said grooveto provide clearance to permit of the circumferential shiftable movement of said casing on said band, substantially as described and for the urpose set forth.

In testimony whereoi)l aiiix my signature.

j JAMES A. FOX. 

